Device for tapering the ends of shoe-makers  threads



2 Sheets-Shea 1.

(No Model.)

G. K. BRADFORD. DEVICE FOR TAPERING THE ENDS 0F SHOE MAKERS THREADS. No. 349,564. g Patented Sept. 21, 1886.

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2 ShetS -Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

0. K.'BRADFORD. DBVIGE FOR TAPERING THE ENDS OPSHOE MAKERS THREADS.

No. 349,564.. Patented Sept. '21, 1886.

\A/i'rrlasszsz m UNIanti STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- CHARLES K. BRADFORD, OF LYNNFI'FLD, MASSACHUSETTS.

- DEVICE FOR TA PERING THE ENDS OF SHOE-MAKERS THREADS. I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,564, dated September 21, 1886.

Application filed December 5, 1885. Serial No. 184,826. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES K. BRAD- FORD, of Lynnfield, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Tapering the Ends of Shoelvlakers Threads, of which the following is a specifica- 'tion.

. thread to be treated, and two clamps or series of clamps located at o'ppositesides of the series of threadrotating devices, said clamps holding the threads while they are being rotated,

- so that the portions of the threads between the rotating devices and one of the clamps will be nntwisted, and the portions between the rotating devices and the other clamp will have its twist correspondingly tightened or illcreased, and the operator is enabled to break the filaments of the untwisted portions of the threads in such manner as to sever the threads and vary thelength of the filaments of the severed portions, so that the ends of the lengths will be properly tapered, as I will now proceed to describe.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a top view of the parts of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 represents a section on line a; as, Fig. 1. Fig.3 represents aside view of the same.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figm'es.

In the drawings, 01. represents a bar or frame in which are journaled any desired number of tubes, I). Said tubes are connected by gears so arranged that all the tubes will rotate in unison when motion is imparted to said gears. The threads to be treated are passed through the tubes, each tube having one thread. The tubes in this case are provided with hooks 0, around which the thread is passed after emerging from the tube, so that twist may be imparted thereto when the tubes are rotated in the manner described. At the rear of the tubes on the ends oppositethose provided with the hooks just mentioned is a clamp, A, supported on upright standards d. Said clamp is adapted to grasp and hold the threads passed through it from a series of bobbins or spools (not shown) suitably supported and located at the rear of the niachine. Thisclamp may be constructed in various ways, its only object being to hold the thread from being twisted or untwisted in that portion between the clamp and the spools. I prefer to construct this clamp as shown in the drawings, wherein 0 represents a beam or bar extending between the upright d and secured thereto in any suit able manner. I

Extending up through each end of the beam 6 is a bolt, f, screw-threaded at its top and provided with ahead at its lower end, which head is countersunk in the beam. The upper ends of the bolts f extend through the ends of a bar, 9, parallel with and resting upon said beam. This bar 9 may be provided upon its under side with a strip, h, of rubber, leather, or like material. The holes through which the bolts f pass are made considerable larger than the diameter of the bolt for a portion of the distance near the top, to permit a spiral spring, z, surrounding the bolt to be placed therein, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3-. One end of said spring rests 011 the bottom of said hole and the other bears against the under side of the bar 9. Suitable thumb-screws, j, are applied to the upper screw-threaded ends of the bolts f, by which, as will now be readily understood, the bar 9 can be pressed down with the requisite force upon the threads passing between its surface h and the beam e. When it is desired to release the'threads, the thumb-screwsj are turned in the opposite di rection, and the spiral springs i,bearing against the under side of the bar lift it in a way that will be understood without further description.

Suitably suspended from the ceiling or other support, at the front of the tubes 0, is another clamp or series of clamps, 13, similar in construction to that just described. I prefer to suspend this latter clamp by a rope, cord, or other like flexible device, as shown, for areason which will subsequently appear.

Extending out horizontally from the posts The threads leading from the spools or bobbins (not shown) are passed through the clamp A to and through the tubes 1) and into the clamp B,which clamp, for convenience sake, is placed upon the arms Z against the pins m. When the device is properly threaded, the free ends of the threads are properly secured in the clamp B, and the latter instrumentality is lifted from the arms Z and carried forward a suitable distance, and each thread is caught over the hook of the tube from which it emerges, and the rear clamp, A, is also adjusted to securely hold the threads passing therethrough, as described. The tubes b are now rotated, as hereinbefore set forth, so that the portion of the thread between the tubes and the clamp B will have its twist'increased or tightened, while that portion between the tubes and the rear clamp, A, will have its twist relaxed or entire] y removed, so that the filaments composing each thread or strand may readily be broken at different points along the untwisted portion. When the threads are thus separated, the ends are twisted in any suitable manner, leaving both said ends gradually and perfectly tapered or pointed, as will be readily understood. 'As that portion of the thread extending between the rotating tubes and the clamp B has its twist increased,it becomes shortened in length. The flexible cords by which said clamp is supported permit the latter to automatically adjust itself to this change in length of thread. The threads extending through the tubes and front clamp, B, are now removed, and the ends extending in front of the rear clamp,A,are drawn forward after the bar 9 has been raised to release said ends or threads, and they are passed through the tubes through and beyond the front clamp a suitable distance preparatory to repeating the operation just described. will thus be seen that by the device described threads of any desired length, with both ends thereof properly tapered, can be rapidly and cheaply manufactured for the purpose hereinbefore specified.

It is obvious that parts of my device may be varied in construction without departing from the spirit of my invention. For instance, instead of gear-wheels and pinions for rotating the tubes, said tubes may be provided with band-pulleys, and be rotated by a single band, after the manner of rotating the spindles in certain types of ring-spinning frames; and, instead of the hook on the ends of the tubes, spring clamping-jaws or other devices which will grasp and hold the threads and cause the same to be rotated may be substituted. Again, in lieu of the flexible cords for supporting the front clamp, in order to render it automatically adjustable to the varying length of the thread being twisted, it is obvious that said clamp may be made to rest on rails or guideways, thus permitting it to be drawn toward the rotating tubes as the threads become shortened by increasing the twist therein. The arms Zwill serve to illustrate this modification, the others being of such an obvious nature as to need no illustration or further description here.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. Adevice for forming tapered ends on lengths of threads, consisting of a series of rotatin gthreadgrasping devices or guides adapted to grasp and twist the threads, the ends of which extend from both sides thereof, and two clamps or two series of clamps, said rotating devices being located at a point subtantially midway between said two clamps or series of clamps, said clamps being adapted to clamp or hold the ends of thread extending from the rotating devices, whereby in the rotation of the latter the thread grasped bycated at a point substantially midwaybetween said two clamps or two series of clamps, and said clamps being adapted to clamp or hold the ends of the thread extending from the rotating device, whereby in the rotation of the latter the thread grasped by them may have the twist in that portion thereof between them and one of the clamps or series of clamps increased or tightened, and that portion "between them and the other clamp untwisted, as set forth.

3. The combination, with the bar a and the rotating tubes journaled therein and provided with thread-grasping devices at their forward ends, of the clamps A and B, as set forth.

4. The combination, with a series of rotating thread-grasping devices or guides adapted to grasp and twist the threads, the ends of which may extend from both sides or ends thereof, of two clamps or two series of clamps, said rotating devices being located at a point substantially midway between said two clamps or two series of clamps, and said clamps being adapted to clamp or hold the ends of thread extending from the rotating devices, whereby in the rotation of the latter the thread grasped by them may have the twist in that portion thereof between them and one of the clamps or series of clamps increased or tightened, and that portion between them and the other clamp untwisted, and one of said clamps being auto matically adjustable to accommodate it to the varying length of the thread being twisted, as

set forth.

' 5. The combination, with the series of rotati n g thread-graspin g devices or guides adapted to grasp and twist the threads, the ends of which may extend from both sides or ends thereof, of two clamps or two series of clamps, said rotating devices being located at a point substantially midway between said two clamps or two series of clamps, and said clamps being adapted to clamp or hold the ends of threads extending from the rotating devices, whereby in the rotation of the latter the thread grasped by them may have the twist in that portion thereof between them and one of the clamps or series of clamps increased or tightened, and

that portion between them and the other clamp untwisted, one of said clamps being supported by cords or like flexible devices, as set forth.

to this specification, in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses, this 28th day of November, 1885.

CHAS. BRADFORD.

Witnesses:-

O. F. BROWN, H. BRO N. 

